Dengue fever to continue as threat

Hanoi (VNA) – El Nino is likely to be one of the strongest on record this winter, posing a risk of outbreak of dengue fever and other diseases in Southeast Asian countries including Vietnam, according to a recent report from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Centre.

The spread of dengue fever is alarming in Vietnam and the number of infected cases may increase in the year-end months, according to Vietnam's Ministry of Health.

The dengue epidemic occurred with many reported cases this year and though winter is coming, the number does not seem to be decreasing, said Deputy Head of Bach Mai Hospital's Infectious Disease Department, Do Duy Cuong.

Fast urbanisation and a high volume of rain created favourable conditions for mosquitoes, which contributed to the increase of dengue cases, said the ministry.

Prolonged high temperature and high humidity also contributed to development of the disease, said Cuong.

There are more than 51,000 dengue cases reported this year nationwide, including 32 deaths, the health ministry reported.

Among those cases, nearly 79 percent are children under 15 and up to 83 percent are female.

"It is critical that every person knows how to protect himself, simply by destroying mosquito-breeding habitats, ensuring good sanitation for the living environment and using mosquito-repellents such as lotions or sprays on a daily basis," Vietnam Health Environment Management Agency Deputy Director, Nguyen Thi Lien Huong said.

El Nino is characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific, it occurs every two to seven years.